The present invention relates to a method which permits the turning of a spherical object around a virtual axis passing through its center with the orientation of the virtual axis being variable either while at rest or during rotation; and to an apparatus for the application of the process.
In order to rotate a spherical object, a world globe, for example, one generally employs an axis traversing the sphere, or a pivot, fixed at one point, at the pole of the globe, for example, or a suspension with a socalled cardan joint or universal joint.
Even though the known methods are perfectly satisfactory insofar as rotation itself is concerned and insofar as the orientation of the axis of rotation is concerned, however, for certain uses, they possess an inconvenience in the form of the material presence of a mechanical axis.